Editorial: Making Ghana a competitive and sustainable tourism destination

The Ghana International Travellers’ Survey (GITS), conducted by Ghana Statistical Service (GSS), provides critical baseline data on tourism’s contribution to GDP.

According to the survey, the country raked in an estimated GH¢15.42billion from international tourists for 2022/2023. The survey forms a cornerstone for the country’s tourism planning and development of its first-ever Tourism Satellite Account (TSA).

The survey recorded a total of 901,448 inbound visitors, comprising both same-day and overnight travellers whose spending provided a significant boost to the local economy. Of these, same-day visitors spent approximately GH¢24million while overnight visitors contributed GH¢15.18billion.

GITS findings are expected to provide critical baseline data for policy, planning and investment decisions as Ghana seeks to fully harness the economic potential of its tourism industry.

Cultural and heritage sites remained a strong attraction – with same-day visitors mostly frequently visiting the Bisa Aberwa Museum, Cape Coast Castle, National Museum and Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park.

With its 15-Year Tourism Development Plan (2013–2027) and flagship initiatives like the ‘Black Star Experience’ under the Resetting Ghana agenda, the country is positioning tourism as a driver of jobs, growth and cultural promotion.

As the country works toward enhancing its global profile as a competitive and sustainable tourism destination, the GITS report indicates that the sector already contributes significantly to the economy.

However, it is worth noting that the Chief Executive Officer (CEO)-Ghana Tourism Development Company (GTDC), Prof. Kobby Mensah, has emphasised a critical need for improved service delivery within the country’s hospitality sector – citing a lack of standardisation and poor customer service as major impediments in the sector.

Indeed, Prof. Mensah addressed a range of behavioural issues such as ‘Ghanaman-time’ and other negative practices which have become normalised within Ghana’s local hospitality scene – emphasising that these factors are major impediments to the sector’s development.

He spoke at the Hospitality and Tourism Conference & Expo’ 2025 held in Accra, where he lamented that standards are missing from almost all hospitality value chains in the country; making it challenging for foreigners to easily move around and enjoy their stay.

He indicated that standards ensure consistency, thereby enabling guests to know what they can expect across locations – just as happens at all airports across the world, an excellent hallmark of the aviation industry.

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